It looks like my last matched pair of sons will move out soon so I have
a spare bedroom to turn into an office/study.

I have a 2/4 meg NTL cable modem in the lounge at the moment but thought
of setting up a wireless network so I don't have to have the cables
moved, I've read a few threads in the group and got the impression
wireless isn't as fast as wire so :-

Is this true?

Is a card or USB dongle the best receiver if wireless is OK?

Would it be better to let NTL re-cable, the cost difference would be
minimal bearing in mind when the sons move out I only need to connect
one PC.

Many Thanks.

Mike

--
Michael Swift We do not regard Englishmen as foreigners.
Kirkheaton We look on them only as rather mad Norwegians.
Yorkshire Halvard Lange

Wireless "is" slower, but unless you're swapping files in-house you
won't notice any difference - even the slowest wireless protocol was
(IIRC) 11Mbits/sec - already more than double the speed of the incoming
data traffic.

I believe USB dongles are often better, as you can reposition them
easily. That said...

Wireless isn't particularly secure (although you can limit the exposure
by using encryption), but can be a real pain in the ass when it doesn't
want to work - I seem to be getting called to my wifes' friends' house
every month or so because it just doesn't want to play ball any more.
Its paired with a Voyager 2100 router - when it wants to.

On that note, avoid the Belkin dongle (model no. F5D7050 v2) - it uses
its own connection utility, not the built in Windows newtworking, and
its shite. It even came with the wrong drivers (for the earlier variant)
in the box ffs (as bought in Office World).

Personally, i`d be strongly tempted to stick with wired - I have, but
perhaps i`m a luddite...

No your not, you have wisely not fallen prey to all the hype about
wireless.

Dave

Go for wired if you can. For wireless, you generally need to physically
connect the PC to the modem-router to set it up. (I theory you don't, but in
practice you do - I don't know anyone who has set up a modem remotely)
I have a lap-top and a second computer that I connect by wireless, once
connected they are OK, but sometimes they simply won't connect.

Retired



"Michael Swift" <mike.swift@yeton.co.uk> wrote in message
news:IQaeMVA0QJlEFwSu@ntlworld.com...

gort wrote:
Maybe somewhat, but it is useful, for example.

Laptop users
People in rented accommodation

Cables are a lot faster. But I couldn't say wireless is unreliable or
difficult to set up - and least you don't need to work out where to put
the cables!

once
People forget that wireless is subject to interference at various times.

Dave

Agreed, but if you only ever setup one installation and that works first
time, you become biased. I have setup quite a few in different types of
buildings and it is not infalliable. You do need to work out where to put
a wireless router in some places, move 6 metres and it wont work. Wireless
is subject to interference, as is all radio, which can vary from month to
month.
There is a lot which can go wrong even in home installations.

Dave

gort wrote:

Absolutely but I have set up about half a dozen now - and I have had to
move all but 1 of the routers slightly in order for it to work where I
wanted to use the machine.

If you have a house with particularly thick walls it won't work. Stud
plaster doesn't seem to reduce the signal by much, but a couple of solid
supporting wall will all but kill it.

I still like the technology though!

gort wrote:

On a rather busy piece of spectrum as well. Though I do sit here on my
bluetooth headset and it doesn't seem to make any difference (it more
than likely will be, but just not enough for me to notice!)

Wait till you come to a house with foil backed plasterboard !!<g>

Cheers

Dave

In article <pan.2006.06.18.13.04.51.89525@privacy.net>, gort
<me@privacy.net> writes
the cable, Mr. Sod and his law seem to pick on me rather a lot these
days.

Mike

--
Michael Swift We do not regard Englishmen as foreigners.
Kirkheaton We look on them only as rather mad Norwegians.
Yorkshire Halvard Lange

In message <pan.2006.06.18.13.04.51.89525@privacy.net>, gort
<me@privacy.net> writes
CAT5! Glad there were no kids about as I expressed my opinion of the
builders.
--
Clint Sharp

gort wrote:
type insulation can do wonders at stopping your wifi signals...

Yup!! The Farady cage... what a wonderful invention <g>.

Dave

gort wrote:
I'm bl**dy lucky that the builders didn't finish of my loft conversion
to the full specs given or else I would have been in one now.
Thankfully they 'forgot' the fine mesh chicken wire to support the
underfloor sound/fire proofing & so have laid the rockwall down
inbetween the rafters. If they had done the chicken wire trick I
would have had to put a network link in just to get the wifi working,
as it is I'm still interferring with next door (in fact more so now as
I'm completely blocking it) but they don't seem to mind so I don't
care.